"With the illegal defense rule gone this season, it basically allowed zone defense. In the NBA, any team will practice some form of zone, especially those aiming for the championship, because they have to deal with O'Neal."
Su Jun pushed up his glasses and continued to share his insights. "For O'Neal, a zone defense doesn't just allow for quicker double-teams. Most importantly, it can create a pincer attack from the front and back. One player bodies him up while another goes for the steal. This makes him hesitant to dribble and turn after catching the ball, and it can also cut off his connection to the perimeter."
"So you see, the Mavericks, who barely played any zone all season, are able to use it now in the playoffs. I'm sure they practiced it a lot during their daily training sessions."
"And it's specifically targeting the Phoenix Suns' tendency to drive and the poor outside shooting of their starters."
